Laie Hawaii Temple

Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Lāʻie on the northeastern shore of Oʻahu. It was the third temple completed by the church and the first built outside the continental United States. The temple has played a central role in the religious, cultural, and architectural history of Hawaii and the Pacific.

History

The temple site in Lāʻie was closely associated with the founding of the Lā'ie Friends Church community and the establishment of the Brigham Young University–Hawaii predecessor institutions by church leaders including Gordon B. Hinckley and early missionaries such as Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole's era contemporaries. Groundbreaking and design phases involved architects Hyrum Pope and Harold W. Burton, who had also worked on other LDS projects like the Cardston Alberta Temple. Construction was supported by Hawaiian members and by leadership including Joseph F. Smith and later presidents such as Heber J. Grant who presided over expansion of church facilities in the Pacific Islands. The temple was dedicated by Joseph F. Smith in 1919, a dedication that followed earlier dedications of the Salt Lake Temple and Laie Hawaii Temple contemporaries elsewhere. Throughout the 20th century the site was visited by national and local figures including Duke Kahanamoku-era community leaders and Pacific missionaries who contributed to the temple's regional prominence. Major renovations and rededications occurred in the late 20th and early 21st centuries under presidents like Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson, reflecting changes similar to other temples such as Bern Switzerland Temple and Hawaii Stake facilities.

Architecture and Design

Designed by Hyrum Pope and Harold W. Burton, the temple blends Classical architecture motifs with indigenous Hawaiian elements found in works by designers who studied Mission Revival architecture and Pacific vernacular. The exterior features pale concrete and a trimmed parapet with decorative panels reminiscent of relief sculpture seen in Neoclassical architecture examples. Interior finishes historically included Hawaiian koa wood detailing, stained glass, and murals depicting Pacific scenes comparable to those in the Salt Lake Tabernacle and other early LDS interiors. Landscape architects influenced by Gertrude Jekyll-era planting schemes and tropical design principles arranged palms and native species similar to gardens at ʻIolani Palace and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor landscapes. The temple's spatial layout follows the functional plan used in other early LDS temples such as the Cardston Alberta Temple, with rooms designated for ordinances, instruction, and ordinance work in patterns comparable to contemporaneous religious buildings like the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur in how processional sightlines were treated.

Religious Significance and Use

As an operational house of worship for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the temple hosts ordinances central to LDS theology performed by temple leadership drawn from local stakes such as the Laie Hawaii Stake and Pacific missions including the Hawaii Honolulu Mission. Ceremonies conducted include those akin to rites practiced at the Salt Lake Temple and other facilities administered by the church's First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The temple has been a focus during cultural and religious gatherings with participation from leaders such as Spencer W. Kimball and visiting delegations from Polynesian islands represented by figures affiliated with Samoa and Tonga. Its role parallels that of other pilgrimage sites like the Kirtland Temple and the Nauvoo Temple in providing ordinances, instruction, and congregational identity for members across Hawaii and the Pacific basin.

Grounds and Cultural Features

The temple grounds include landscaping, walkways, and cultural markers that connect to nearby institutions such as Brigham Young University–Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center. Gardens feature plantings of native Hawaiian species and culturally significant palms like those seen on grounds at ʻIolani Palace and community parks in Honolulu. Sculptural and relief elements incorporate motifs resonant with Hawaiian iconography similar to public artworks by Frank Gambuccio or the decorative motifs found at historic Hawaiian sites such as Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau. The adjacent temple visitors' area and educational displays have historically welcomed tourists and scholars studying Pacific cultural exchange, akin to collaborations between museums like the Bishop Museum and religious institutions. The setting overlooks coastal terrain of northeastern Oʻahu, situating it within a landscape frequented by surfers and athletes like Duke Kahanamoku.

Visitors and Accessibility

The temple has hosted open houses and public tours prior to dedications, drawing visitors including local officials from Honolulu County and delegations from Pacific governments such as representatives from Hawaii State Legislature and community leaders associated with Lāʻie. Access to the interior is currently limited to church members holding recommend credentials issued by local bishops and stake presidents in alignment with practices at temples like the Oakland Temple and Laie Hawaii Temple counterparts. The surrounding campus is accessible to the public, with visitor information often coordinated with Brigham Young University–Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center. Transportation links include major routes on Oʻahu and nearby accommodations serving tourists and researchers visiting regional cultural sites such as the North Shore and Kāneʻohe Bay.

Category:Temples (LDS Church) in Hawaii Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1919